Fifth-wheel for vehicles.



No. 675,I76. Patented May 28, |90I.

C. L. THOMAS.

FIFTH WHEEL FOB VEHICLES.

(Applieation'mea Jn. s, 1901.)

(N0 Model.)

\ Y im V N H W 7 W l p5 @I l @E UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

CHARLES LEE THOMAS, OF AMSTERDAM, NE\V YORK.

FIFTH-WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

sPEelEioATIoN forming peut of Letters Patent No. 675,176, dated May 2s, 1901. I

'Application inea January 9.1901. serian... 42.652. maman.)

To all whom, t may cou/cern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES LEE THOMAS, a citizen of'the United States, and a resident of Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.`

Figure l is a longitudinal section view of my fifth-wheel upon the line am, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same upon the line 'y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of my iifth-wheel.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in the ifth-wheels of vehicles,with the objects of special adaptation to speeding wagons having a low-hung body and of increased strength, durability, and cheapness, at the same time doing away with the rub-irons.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts,all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the front axle of the vehicle, B the tongue, and C C two members of the fifth-wheel. These members are of semicircular skeleton character, having diametric cross-braces c c', and are provided with contacting or friction surfaces. A depending arcuate luge2 of the upper Vmember works in an arcuate slot c3 of the lower member, bringing up against'the end walls of said slot to limit the relative movement of the parts.-

A threaded extension c4 of lug c2 has a securing-nut c5, provided with a washer c6. The lower said member C has 'countersunk securing-bolts O2, engaging apertures thereof, extending through its upper surface at the juncture of arcuate portion and cross-brace thereof and extending through the axle, the metal being of double thickness at such juncture, owing to the fact that the diametric cross-brace lies below the plane of the arcuate portion of said member. Countersunk securing-bolts C3 are also provided and extend through the diametric portion of said member and through the axle. The upper said member C' is clipped directly to the vehicle-spring, without the necessity for the iutervention of a head-block, through opposite lateral perforated extensions C4 at each side of such member. The king-bolt D engages central apertures of the diametric portions of said members and the axle, and for the purpose of relieving said bolt from strain a hollow depending boss extension d of the upper member engages and turns upon a hollow upper boss extension d of the lower member and surrounding such bolt, a hollow upper boss extension of the lower bracing-strap E, secured to the tongue and also surrounding the bolt and engaging and turning in a recess cl2 in the axle, being also provided for this purpose. The angular head d3 of the kingbolt is :received in an angular recess d4 of the member C' for the purpose of bringing such head within the upper surface of such member and to prevent turning of the bolt when applying the securing-nut thereto. A thin guard and cushion plate F is located over such bolt and between the upper member O' and the spring clipped thereto, the securingbolts f for said plate passing through said member and the angular heads thereof being received in angular depressions in the upper surface of said plate.

The upper bracing-strapE, secured to the upper surface of the tongue, forms an integral part of the upper member C and is provided with an upper bracing lug extension f', having a bearing against plate F and the spring.

In adjusting for wear, the king-bolt-securing nut and the securing-nut c5 are tightened.

The device is readily taken apart by removal of the different securing-nuts, as will be noted.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the lower semicircular skeleton member having the perforated diametric cross-brace located below the plane of the arcuate portion of said member, and having the upwardly-extending hollow boss,the upper semicircular skeleton member having the diametrio cross-brace provided with a downwardly-extendin g hollow boss surrounding said first-named boss, said upper member having also opposite lateral perforated extensions at each side thereof, the kingbolt within said bosses, and having the head thereof countersunk in the upper cross-brace, the perforated guard and cushion plate between vehiele-spring and upper cross-brace, the eountersunk securing-bolts for said plate and brace, and the securing-clips for vehiclespring and upper member engaging the perforations of said lateral extensions, substantially as specified.

2. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the lower semicircular skeleton member having the diametric cross-brace located below the plane of the arcuate portion of said member and of double thickness at the juncture of said brace and arcuate portion, countersunk securingbolts engaging said member at such juncture, the upper semicircular skeleton member hav- `ing the diametri@l orossbrace, and provided with opposite lateral perforated extensions at each side thereof, the securing-clips for vehicle-spring and upper member engaging the perforations of said lateral extensions, the guard and cushion plate between Vehiclespring and upper member, the uppertonguestrap forming an integral part of said upper member and having the bracing-lug abutting against said plate and spring, the interiitting hollow bosses of the cross-braces of said members, the king-bolt within said bosses, and the lower tongue-strap having the upwardly-ex tending hollow boss seating in the axle, and surrounding said king-bolt, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LEE, THOMAS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. BENNETT, DAVIS W. SHULER. 

